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There's more to [NGOs] than meets the eye!

My favourite play on this blog-title idiom has to be
with one of the North-East’s finest gifts to the culinary-discerning beyond our
boundaries.Greggs: More Than Meats the Pie

Now Cambodians
like their bakery products too.But what
has this to do with NGOs?Quite a lot as
it happens, if you follow my way of linking life in Northumberland to the outside world. It helps to make my points about Cambodia that is now (May 2015) contemplating a new law to regulate NGOs.

Greggs are
noted for their consistent quality, fine by most customers, relative to
price.Suppose this - if one day,
customers started complaining about stomach problems after eating their products.
Greggs and food-safety plus health authorities would take those complaints most
seriously.They would ascertain the
facts and take action if necessary, including compensation.Above all, they would want to solve any
problem.Media would no
doubt cover the story. Greggs would want to limit bad publicity try to turn it in to a good story for them by showing that they were taking responsible actions.

“Want to solve
the problem?” in Cambodia would be an unlikely reaction of most retailers.Denial is more probable, that is if any customers
had the courage to complain.Authorities
would be unlikely to react either, unless a powerful person had suffered. In
reality, when poor people suffer in Cambodia, the only people who stand up for
them and render service to them are NGOs.But not all
NGOs. Local media
would probably regard the story “non-newsworthy”, simply put down as bad luck, not a sign of culpability, or maybe their reporters would be better
rewarded for not covering it.

Suffering is a
sign of many issues under the “gambit” of human rights, with death, rape, and violence among the worst. In recent years, compulsory
large-scale eviction of poor families from land, without compensation, has joined that list. These crimes occur in
every country, but in Cambodia, state institutions of law enforcement and
justice, have just not evolved to deal with them properly.People lack faith in them to find justice.As long as this exists, human rights NGOs are
essential. To read more click for example on the two largest NGOs - LICADHOor ADHOC.

Suffering
covers another multitude of ills, especially in economic,
social and cultural rights.These are
most usually addressed by “Development NGOs”, both international (INGOs) and
local (LNGOs), usually with funding from foreign donors.Given Cambodia’s resurgence economically,
after 20 years, you would expect INGOs to be leaving or to be handing over to
local LNGOs. Surprisingly some want to stick around. Nobody is co-ordinating and managing what
should be the logical end of foreign intervention.

Then there are
a myriad of other NGOs that far “more than meets the eye!”They do warrant proper, professional and
objective examination.Many are
inactive. Some are artificial creations with clear political loyalties. They
were set up to counter NGOs seen as always critical. In fact some people move
in and out of NGOs to and from political life in to government or opposition,
even as “defectors”.Some exist in
several entities simultaneously.Sometimes this is known, very often it is disguised with family members
or close associates nominally in the NGO leadership.I have come across several NGOs that are
actually commercial entities, businesses with a slight if any philanthropic
role, but nevertheless duly registered as NGOs.

Now a new NGO
law could be helpful in creating a leaner, clearer, and genuine
“Non-Governmental Organisation” sector, as part of a responsible Civil Society
that benefits the country, and everyone in it, not just some.

However the
portends are not good. What is planned falls well short of such a constructive
reform. Powers are to rest with two ministries – Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
for INGOs, and of Interior for LNGOs.

For most INGOs
and many LNGOs, the Ministry of Planning, and/or perhaps the Council for
Development of Cambodia, should be the authority to decide, preferably in
conjunction with one of the NGO umbrella groups such as CCC or NGO Forum.The key consideration is how the INGO or LNGO
integrates in to Cambodia’s development plans and its public services delivery?
Everyone should agree on either assimilation
in to mainstream services, or to remain outside of it, or alongside in an apprpriately beneficial role.As I have blogged elsewhere, there are few
clear exit strategies in "NGO Land" and continued activity there is based more on winning donor funds than finding their place in a coherent national plan.

For LNGOs,
especially human rights ones, how can the Ministry of Interior, with its
primary “law and order” responsibility, and in charge of Police and Local Government, be appropriate to decide about the fate
of an NGO?It does have a legitimate
role when it comes to checking credentials of people involved, for example, in
child care, and investigating cases of abuse.But then that role conflicts with deciding if an NGO should exist or
conduct business in ways that, by their very nature, must question its officials' conduct.The ministry is unlikely todeliberate fairly, to protect the essential
freedoms of Cambodian citizens, under the CambodianConstitution and international instruments
binding on Cambodia.The problem is that
the alternative choice – Ministry of Justice – has a similar conflict of
interest given its responsibilities for how the courts operate.The only proper way forward would be a new
independent body that could enjoy widespread support, perhaps similar to the
United Kingdom’s Charities Commission.

In all cases,
regardless of the ministry or body that decides in the first instance, there should
be a genuine independent appeal, such as to a National Assembly Commission or to a
special body set up for the purpose.

And then there
are the other “NGOs”.Quite frankly
there is no option but to have some kind of inter-ministerial group, again
preferably with participation of CCC or NGO Forum, to examine them. If they are not genuine unaffiliated civil
society organisations, they cannot be NGOs.

One final word.What about the growing number of looser
gatherings of citizens – community groups?When do such groups become a permanent entity requiring formal
recognition?The NGO law needs to be
clear about the criteria to govern this.If not the old mantra will come back in to play “Unless it has been
formally allowed, it is prohibited!”That
would be a critical step back from democracy.

The Gregg’s
Test

This will be
easy for seasoned Cambodia watchers.Firstly a word on pies in Cambodia.We do have them and some would pass the Gregg’s test.“Pelican” are pretty good and came out top,
against stiff competition from even the Aussie Adelaide fraternity - famous for
its pies floating in pea soup.

Study these pictures
closely and decide that this bakery is more popular than two nearby because:

1
The products are cheap.

2
There is a good range of favourite products that Cambodians enjoy.

3
Service is quick, so taxies (mini-buses) are not delayed.

4
Fans are provided to keep taxies cool while waiting to be served.

5
The shop does not mind hawkers, selling their wares, though competing.

6
Customers can use toilets and wash hands(!)7
Other.................please specify…………………………………………………………

Oh and by the way, I have passed this bakery thousands of times, and I am yet to hear a complaint, even against folks manhandling the delicious bread loaves.

4 comments:

August 2016 Greggs proves that in uncertain economic times, you can succeed. Plus of course it demonstrates the entrepreneurial vitality of the North East to be found not just in London. https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/healthy-options-boost-sales-greggs-092700459.html

Greggs does do excellent work in communities, as covered by articles in the Financial Times (pay-walled),and this one: http://www.greatbusinessdebate.co.uk/case_study/does-business-do-enough-to-help-disadvantaged-groups-into-work/

Somehow I think it will be years before we see private initiatives in Cambodia helping prisoners and ex-prisoners even though it is sorely-needed.